


A Disaster in Pink

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Drabblers one shots HP [15]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Muggle, F/M, First Meetings, Humor, Laundry, Neighbors, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 09:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6976915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily comes to pick her laundry only to find that all her previously white clothes have turned pink thanks to some forgetful moron. Her quest for vengeance doesn't go quite as planned, however.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Disaster in Pink

Lily’s soft humming turned into an abrupt scream the moment she opened the washing machine’s hatch and saw the sea of pink.

“No!” she shrieked, diving in to pull out her wet laundry. “No!”

Every single white item of clothing – including her favourite cardigan and her cream sundress – had turned pale pink strongly reminiscent of candy floss.

“How the hell…?”

Lily was certain there had only been whites in her laundry basket. She was particular like that; Marlene wasn’t completely wrong to joke she had an “Overly meticulous Cow Disorder”.

But being careful hadn’t saved her clothes from their pink doom. Not that she had anything against pink – it just wasn’t _her_ colour.

Her fingers scraped against the machine’s metal drum and pulled out a pair of bright red trunks that most definitely weren’t hers. Neither she nor Marlene were seeing anyone – there was no way men’s underwear could’ve got into her laundry basket. And even if they had, she would have noticed them when loading her clothes into the machine.

Frowning at the trunks, Lily came to the conclusion that whoever had done their laundry last had accidentally left them behind.

Gritting her teeth, Lily balled the red trunks in her fist and grabbed her laundry basket. She marched out to the corridor to inspect the board by the door to see who had reserved the laundry room before her. It took her a moment to decipher the careless scrawl of handwriting, but she managed.

“Potter,” she hissed, consulting next the list of flats. Fifth floor.

Lily could’ve taken the lift, but it was far more satisfying to stomp up the stairs, fuming with righteous anger over the sorry fate of her poor innocent clothes. By the time she reached the fifth floor, her arms were growing tired from the weight of her laundry and her breathing was coming heavy – but her indignation blazed brighter than ever. Her gaze flitted, inspecting each door until it zeroed in on the _Potter_ standing next to _Black_ on the door to her right.

Her lips forming a thin line, she crossed the landing and jabbed at the doorbell.

It only took some seconds but to Lily they felt more like minutes. Then the door opened, revealing a man wearing a band shirt whose black hair was tied in a bun and whose grey eyes were sparked with annoyance.

“What?” he barked as a greeting.

Her temper flaring at the rude welcome, Lily’s arm moved before any rational thought could catch up with the sudden impulse, flinging the wet underwear which he promptly caught – with his face.

“Oi, you crazy bitch!” he yelled as soon as he had pulled the trunks off. “What the hell is your problem?”

“This!” Lily growled in a reply, shoving her laundry basket with its offensively pink contents at him. “You left your bloody underwear in the washing machine and ruined my clothes, you wanker!”

He stared at her blankly, one black eyebrow arching, before glancing at the underwear in his hand.

“These aren’t mine, though,” he replied, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe.

“The hell they aren’t! I checked the reservation list, Potter, so don’t try to lie to me.”

“I’m not lying – and I’m not Potter, either. But I’ll go grab him so you can huff and puff at the twat actually responsible for your predicament.”

With that, he turned and walked into the flat, leaving Lily to awkwardly stand on the landing, her face flushing in mortification. There had been two names on the door, she had noticed as much, but had been too full of rage to think straight and stop to consider she might be taking her anger out on the wrong person.

Of course, feeling embarrassed only fuelled her irritation, so by the time another young man appeared in the doorway, his hand mussing his messy dark hair and his confused hazel eyes staring at her from behind his glasses, Lily had worked herself up again.

“You’re Potter?” she asked sharply. Lily was not the kind of a person who’d make the same mistake twice.

“Yeah, I’m James Potter,” he replied with a hesitant grin that faltered before Lily’s dark scowl.

“Pick up your bloody laundry then, you prat! Look what you did to my clothes!” Lily thrust the basket at him to make sure he’d get a good look. “They used to be white before you and your sodding trunks came along!”

Her foot tapped an angry rhythm while he blinked at the pink disaster in the laundry basket.

“I’m sorry. I really didn’t notice I had left anything behind in the washing machine.” He squirmed, looking so sheepish and miserable that for a fleeting second Lily almost felt sorry for him. “I’m so sorry about your clothes.”

His eyes appeared sincere, and Lily’s stomach lurched guiltily. After all, it wasn’t like he had forgotten his trunks on purpose.

“Er,” she began, when Potter put his hand up.

“Give me a second.” He disappeared inside and Lily waited, shuffling her feet until he came back, holding a cheque book. “Is three hundred pounds enough?”

“Uhh…” Lily bit her lip.

“You’re right,” he murmured, “better make it five hundred.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Was he daft?

“I ruined your clothes so it’s only fair I offer compensation. What’s your name?”

“Look,” Lily sighed, “I appreciate the gesture but I can’t take your money.”

“It’s the least I can do,” Potter shrugged, flashing an easy smile. “Your name, please.”

“But… Five hundred is too much! If you insist on paying please make it a hundred.”

“Are you sure that’s enough? Your basket seems pretty full. Maybe three hundred –“

“Fine,” Lily cut in with a grimace. “Two hundred and not a penny more.”

“All right. Whom can I make this to?”

“Lily Evans.”   

“Well here you go, Lily. Sorry again for your clothes.”

“Umm yeah. Thanks.” Lily clutched the cheque, her brain still buzzing to process what the heck had just happened.

**Author's Note:**

> Feb 18: Sequel for this one shot [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13827408).


End file.
